Top breastfeeding tips before baby's arrival
If you have decided to breastfeed your new baby, there are some good tips to help you get started more easily and confidently:
In order to prepare your nipples for the initial strain of your baby’s vigorous sucking you can use Olive Oil in your final pregnancy stage. Simply apply a drop twice a day. This will ensure that your nipples develop less sensitivity which in turn will help to prevent them cracking once you start to nurse your baby.
Another very important tip is to find your local breastfeeding group before baby’s arrival. If you know another breastfeeding mum maybe you can meet up with her? By seeing other nursing mums you will become more aware of how it looks and how others do it naturally. Some mothers go to breastfeeding support groups because they have problems feeding their baby and feel that the support they can receive helps with the initial stress. When they have established a routine and both mum and baby feel confident enough they may not need the support anymore.
Other mums may want to join in because of the social aspect of it: talking to likeminded parents is a great way of overcoming initial parenting stress and anxieties as well as making new friends.
It is interesting to see how many expectant parents have actually never seen a nursing mother – it shouldn’t come as a surprise that breastfeeding for many seems to be accompanied by lots of “old wives tales”.
Your decision to breastfeed should also be specified in your birth plan, if you have one. All medical staff who will care for you and your baby should be aware of this so that they won’t give baby any dummies or artificial supplements without your consent.
Most importantly, being informed about breastfeeding benefits, the basics and possible problems you may encounter is your biggest advantage: it will help to keep you motivated when it can be tough going at times.
Find your nearest breastfeeding support group at
The Association of Breastfeeding Mothers
